Boston City Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata joined a majority of her colleagues in voting for an omnibus amendment package on the FY27 operating budget. Following the Council’s vote on the amended operating budget, it is now on Mayor Michelle Wu’s desk for acceptance, rejection, or amendments. Previously, the Council also voted on the capital budget and the Boston Public Schools budget. The Council may only reject or pass the Boston Public Schools and capital budget without amendment power.
“The Council has spent countless hours across more than 40 hearings reviewing thousands of budget line items and identifying opportunities to restore critical investments during a challenging fiscal year. Throughout this process, we have focused on exercising fiscal discipline while ensuring we advance an amendment package that invests and restores youth and senior programing, essential infrastructure, and addresses the needs of communities across Boston,” said Councilor Gabriela Coletta Zapata. “This budget supports several of my priorities, including investments in age strong programs, youth jobs, ESOL classes, housing vouchers, access to counsel, food justice grants, tenant stabilization funds, down payment assistance, and more. This vote demonstrates the Council’s responsible use of its budgetary authority to amend, restore, and improve the budget while ensuring the continued delivery of essential City services. Thank you to Ways and Means Chair Ben Weber for his leadership throughout the budget process and to Central Staff for their assistance.”
Partial List Of Operating Budget Investments:
• $2,000,000 for Housing Vouchers
• $1,350,000 for Age Strong community grants and programs
• $925,000 for Office of Immigrant Advancement Grants
• $750,000 for Youth Jobs
• $825,000 for Arts & Culture grants
• $600,000 for Legacy Business grants
• $555,000 for Office of Black Male Advancement
• $500,000 for Returning Citizens grants
• $450,000 for Access to Counsel
• $300,000 for Down Payment Assistance
• $300,000 for Grow Boston
• $275,000 for ESOL
• $250,000 for caregivers impacted by incarceration pilot program at the BPHC
• $200,000 for Office of LGBTQ2SIA+ Advancement
• $150,000 for Food Justice grants
• $125,000 for the BHA Credible Messenger Program
• $100,000 for Office of Women’s Advancement
• $60,000 for the Tenant Stabilization Fund
• $25,000 for Graffiti Busters
Partial List Of Capital Budget Investments:
• Streets Reconstruction and Resurfacing FY25-27 – Locations across East Boston, Charlestown, the North End, and Wharf District this summer.
• Sidewalk and Ramp Reconstruction FY 25-27 – Program for sidewalk reconstruction and repair including responses to 311 requests as well as planned reconstruction of brick and concrete sidewalks for the 2025, 2026, 2027 construction seasons.
• 311 Modernization – Upgrading front and back ends of BOS:311 system to modernize architecture for improved usability and access improvements.
• Street Lighting Assessment – System-wide structural assessment on all City street lighting infrastructure.
• Coastal Resilience Reserve – Funding reserve that will be used to provide matching funds as needed for state, federal, or other grant programs, and to support budget increases of coastal resilience projects that may be necessary.
• Christopher Columbus Park – Playground renovation including play structure, safety surfacing, fencing, lighting, site furnishings, pathway repairs, drainage, signage, and green infrastructure to mitigate future sea level rise.
• Porzio Park Play Area – Improvements to the play area and splash pad.
• BCYF North End Community Center – Design and construct a new North End Community Center.
• Webster Ave Playground – Improvements to the playground include upgrades to accessibility, preserving and protecting trees, infiltrating storm water where feasible.
• Barry Playground – Upgrade field and sports lighting, install new drinking fountains, accessibility improvements, renovate seawall, and elevate the Harborwalk.
• Doherty Park Accessibility Improvements – Design a welcoming, accessible pedestrian plaza on Bunker Hill Street.
The operating budget is an approved annual spending plan allotted to both City departments and central budgets. The budget supports the cost of the day-to-day operations of City government, such as public education, streets and sidewalks, parks, and public safety. The operating budget is funded primarily based on an estimate of annual recurring revenues. The City’s revenue comes from: property tax, state aid, local revenue (including department revenue and excise taxes), and non-recurring revenue.
The Boston City Council commenced its budget hearings earlier this year led by Councilor Ben Weber (D6), chair of the Committee on Ways and Means. This cycle is the fifth time the Boston City Council can reject, reduce, pass, or amend line items (i.e., accounts such as personnel, contracted services, equipment, etc.) in the City’s Operating Budget. To prepare for the budget cycle, Coletta Zapata hosted a series of budget town halls across the district to gather feedback from residents about their budget priorities. For a more comprehensive list of each budget, visit https://www.boston.gov/departments/budget.